Where does a poem start?

“Poetry can break open locked chambers of possibility, restore numbed zones to feeling, recharge desire,” Adrienne Rich wrote in contemplating the cultural power of poetry.

Most poems start with retreat…
It’s when I remove myself from the distractions
that chase my thoughts most days.
When I make time to turn down the noise
and learn to listen instead of thinking. Then
it’s waiting for silence to arrive. Sometimes
it takes a while for ringing in my ears to stop. I think
of the thousand things to do
that belong to my weekly list of tasks. A poem calls
me to lower my voice and hear the voice
of another world that is quieter, gentler and
softer. A poem begins with retreat but
concludes with the opening of my soul
to the words that are closest to my heart.

Poems seek out the quiet places…
These are the lonely places that life takes me to.
The dark nights that seek to suck the words
that are waiting to to express my happinesses and heartaches. If
I stop for long enough then the words begin again. They mostly
don’t rhyme, or have a happy ever after. But,
they help discover what lies underneath,
and instead of saying the obvious that everyone can see
they leave space for my imagination to explore
in the company of others.

Poetry helps me ask questions….
There are so many whys about each day.
Poems seek out my inner source where
my soul meets reality and ….
of where disappointments start and end. Poems
hold the possibility that a fresh start
is always around the corner. Then
as I hold the question I am able to understand
instead of settling for the easy answers.

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In the Psalms I have discovered firsthand some of the rawness and pain experienced by the Psalmist. This ebook is the first 40 Psalms that I have put in my own words. They are a reflection of what was written by the original writer and then brought to our world today. They reflect many of the themes that are common to discouraged, depressed, anxious, fearful people. At times some or all of these things have been true for me. I have used some of these experience and cried out with the Psalmist in my writing.

One definition of found poetry is, “it’s the literary version of a collage”. In finding these Psalms I have gathered together my emotions, feelings and pain and sought to “find” my understanding of what David was saying. It’s the worst possible translation methodology but it’s been a great personal re-discovery of God.

The 40 day journey is a chance to take some time out and listen to God’s voice. God’s praise will last for eternity, we have the great privilege to begin that praise now.